Senior politicians have met the bosses of the only two blue-chip companies with all-male boards to demand that they explain why they have failed to give seats to women.

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, revealed today that he had a face-to-face meeting with Ivan Glasenberg, the chief executive of GlencoreXstrata, where he received a “tortured explanation” about why the commodities giant was “struggling” to get a woman into the boardroom.

Lord Davies of Abersoch, who is leading the Government’s work on boardroom gender diversity, said he had spoken with Desmond O’Conor, the chief executive of Antofagasta, to ask for reassurances